A USC day of celebration: Spring commencement

“Every day at the Supreme Court renews my passion for the law,” she said. “My work is always stimulating and challenging, and I learn so much from my colleagues and the advocates who come into court. As you embark on your professional careers as lawyers, let me express my hope that you find the same passion and intellectual rewards in your work.”

She praised Graham for his military service and encouraged the graduates to find ways they can contribute to their community and country.

“The ABA requires you to work in the public interest, but it should come from your heart,” she said. “The rule of law makes us the beacon of the world.”

Among the newly minted lawyers was Adam Hegler, a Kershaw native who had the highest GPA in this year’s graduating law class.

Hegler, who will clerk for Federal District Court Judge Joseph F. Anderson in Columbia, credits studying for a master’s degree in history to getting his method for success down, a method he says is grounded in a routine of staying on top of the work and reading.

Law graduate Karama Tomah Bailey, a Liberian native who plans to practice international or immigration law, had one bit of advice for next year’s incoming class.

“Study hard and do the best you can that first year because it is important to get that foundation. It only gets busier each year,” she said.

School of Medicine

At the Koger Center for the Arts, 81 new doctors received their degrees at the School of Medicine’s commencement ceremony.

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, who spent much of her career directing a non-profit primary care medical clinic in rural Bayou La Batre, Ala., told graduates that caring for others is a high calling.